MEDirections is delighted to share a new Research Project Report from the Wartime and Post Conflict in Syria project (WPCS). The paper is also available in Arabic.
This article seeks to analyse the political dynamics and evolution of UAE-Syria relations since 2011 and potential Emirati investment opportunities in Syria. The study first provides an overview of the ambivalent relationship of the UAE with Damascus and the motivations expressed by Emirati officials for seeking a form of rapprochement with the Syrian regime. It then examines the main sectors of interest to UAE investors in Syria and through which Syrian intermediaries could help potential Emirati investors reinvest in the country. However, the possible return of UAE investment to Syria faces many obstacles and challenges.